Guilford, Connecticut – My Hometown

Over the weekend we drove to Connecticut and spent four days with my mother-in-law. I love that we can still go back to enjoy the town both my husband and I grew up in. Guilford, Connecticut is a very special place, not only because it is our hometown but it is a town filled with old houses kept in wonderful condition. I have mentioned this before in a previous post and it is worth mentioning again. My mother-in-law lives right on the town green so everything is within walking distance.

Before the rains set in I was able to enjoy a beautiful day and walk around town. At the top of the green is the First Congregational Church of Guilford, the church that my husband and I were married in. Our oldest daughter was also married in the same church. This church was founded in 1643, just a few years after the first settlement of Guilford in 1639. The original simple stone structure was replaced in 1713 with this building. It is reputed to have been the first church in Connecticut with a steeple clock and a bell! The Congregational Church is still quite an active church.

The town green is surrounded by many old homes and several churches. Several of the old homes have been turned into dress shops.

As you walk away from the green and turn down Broad Street you’ll find the street is lined with picket fences. Lilacs and picket fences are so New England.

At the end of Broad Street you can look over the East River. This is a brackish river which means it connects to the salt water and experiences tides. Sometimes the water will be very high other times you can see the mud flats.

I tend to take a long walk when I’m enjoying the sights of Guilford, Connecticut. I love that one minute you can be enjoying the view along the river and the next view is of the oldest house. The Henry Whitfield House was the first house built in Guilford, built in 1639 just before the town of Guilford was settled. It is the oldest house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in New England. The house was built for Henry Whitfield. He was a puritan minister who had come from England to flee religious persecution. It is open to the public. Around the corner from the oldest house are several other beautiful old homes. Both are now museums. The stately Thomas Griswold House was built in the first or second decade of the 18th century by Thomas Griswold, a local blacksmith. This house is also a museum and open to the public. It includes the 18th century period New England saltbox, a historic blacksmith shop, a barn with farm tools and implements, two corn cribs and a Victorian era three seat outhouse!Just down the road is the Hyland House.This colonial house was built in 1713 and is also a museum and open to the public. It is a red saltbox built by Issac Parmelee and has been open to the public since 1918.

Aren’t the old windows just wonderful? I am so blessed to have grown up in such a wonderful town filled with so much history.

All too soon my walk is over and I am back at the town green. It was a wonderful weekend and I certainly enjoyed the sights of Guilford on this beautiful spring day.

4 comments on “Guilford, Connecticut – My Hometown”

Oh Nancy, I’d love to visit your home town! It’s so quaint and has so much history. What a beautiful church you and your husband were married in! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely post with us at Hearth and Soul. I’m featuring it at the party this week. Hope to ‘see’ you there!